Combustion by Kate Hill

Author:Kate Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BIN 010624-03453
Publisher: Changeling Press LLC
Published: 2022-12-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

After Ian left, Carlos and Erica undressed and slipped back into bed.

“How did we meet?” she asked.

“When we were recruited for this mission. Except for that bastard Trevor, the captain handpicked all of us. Everyone aboard has traveled to Earth before, which explains why we’re able to blend in so well. Even with your amnesia, you’re not having much of a problem. The common language of our home world is very similar to the language called English here on Earth, which has helped us integrate during our visits. It’s little things that might give us away.”

She smiled sheepishly. “Like calling the bathroom a relief chamber?”

“Yeah.” He grinned and ran the tip of his finger down her nose. “Like that.”

“So we met for this mission and it was love at first sight?”

He tilted his head slightly to the side. “Love is kind of an odd subject for our species. Most Pixiens don’t marry, as they call it here. We have relief partners for sex during our monthly cycle, but we rarely associate with them outside of that. Some people don’t even have relief partners but use a drug that curbs sexual desire and keeps the fever under control. You and I decided -- privately of course -- not to use our meds and satisfy each other. That’s what we were about to do when the Trevor sabotaged the ship. Hmm. I just realized he interrupted us twice.”

“His mistake.”

“Yes,” Carlos said softly. A guilty expression crossed his face and he shook his head. “I’m a doctor. I’m trained to save lives, not take them.”

She cupped his cheek. “You did what you had to. He was trying to kill us.”

“I know, but I don’t have to like the idea of killing a man in cold blood.”

“You mean in self-defense.”

“Does it matter?”

“It matters to me.”

His eyes remained downcast and she could almost feel him turning over the events of the night in his mind.

“What’s my job on the ship?” Erica asked, attempting to distract him as well as jog her own memory.

“You’re the pilot.”

She sat bolt upright. “What? The pilot! I have amnesia!”

Carlos grasped her hand and squeezed it gently. “I know, love, but your memory will come back.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s not uncommon for Pixiens to lose their memory for a short time after a head injury.”

“What’s a short time?”

“Hours. Maybe a day or two. Usually.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Usually? It’s possible my memory might take longer to return, then? Maybe never?”

“Permanent amnesia is extremely rare for our species. Due to the structure of our skull and brain, we can endure much more serious injuries than humans and we recover much faster. Besides, other people aboard can navigate if they have to. Wyatt is a capable pilot and Jace knows everything about the ship.”

“How many others are aboard besides us?”

“Just our captain, Wyatt, Tiana in security and Jace in engineering. Of course we had Trevor in communications.”

“Are we in contact with the others?”

“No. When we started crashing, you and I were the first to abandon ship, at Wyatt’s order.

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